The assignee of the present invention, Armstrong International, Inc. of Three Rivers, Mich. has manufactured steam humidifiers for several decades and has in recent years offered a variety of steam humidification equipment including the series 9000 and 1000 direct steam injection humidifiers, series EHU-600, 700, and HUMIDICLEAN (TM) electronic steam humidifiers and series CS-10 steam to steam humidifiers. These systems have been technically and commercially successful and continue to be. However, a continuing effort to improve an apparatus of this general kind is lead to the development of the present invention.
In particular, the present applicants have found that it is possible to reduce the so-called "impingement distance" by constructing a steam humidifier system in accord with the present invention.
In the humidification process, steam is discharged from a source as a "dry" gas. As it mixes with the cooler duct air, some condensation takes place, resulting in water particles becoming entrained in the airstream. After a distance these droplets are dispersed by and absorbed into the airstream. Such distance is the "impingement distance". Before the water particles are absorbed, such water particles can impinge on any equipment they contact, which tends to adversely affect the operation and/or service life of such equipment. Many applications can be satisfactorily handled by a steam humidifier system comprising of a single manifold with a direct steam injection humidifier or a single dispersion tube with a steam generator, for example of the above specified type marketed by the Assignee of the present invention. Frequently, however, performance and practicality dictate the use of multiple manifolds or dispersion tubes, which may be of the above specified types and which in the past have been assembled in the field, thereby tending to make installation more time consuming and increasing labor costs.
The present invention advantageously provides shorter impingement distances and avoids the need for assembly in the field.
Other objects, purposes and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to persons acquainted with apparatus of this general type upon reading the following specification and inspecting the accompanying drawings.